invention pertains to a device for continuously casting metals, especially steel, with several successive segments, each of which has a pair of rolls, consisting of an upper and a lower roll, the segments forming a strand guide for cast strands of different widths, where the rolls are rotatably supported on tie-bars of a segment frame, and where each of the tie-bars is braced on both sides by strand guide frames.
Devices of this type are known, for example, as guides for thin metal strip (EP 0 941 787 A1). In this case, however, an adjusting device for adjusting the crown bow of the roll gap is provided for a pair of guide rolls, which forms a roll gap. A device of this type cannot be used to solve other problems.
The profile of a cast slab in the residual solidification area of the cast strand is essentially an image of the geometry of the roll gap. Different strand widths and casting speeds lead to different roll deflections and to different deflections of the tie-bars of the segment frame and thus to a slab profile with a variable camber.
In the area of the soft reducing section, the deflections of the rolls and tie-bars are determined by the location of the tip of the crater, by the thickness reduction setting, and by the grade of steel. It also happens that, in the case of slab systems with a lengthwise cutting device (single or multiple lengthwise cutting), the lengths of cut slab which are sent to the rolling mill will have various wedge-like shapes because of the camber of the original slab. These variable shapes lead to problems in the mill when a very thin strip is to be obtained as the end product.